Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandy and Hanoi Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandy and Hanoi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $516 in Kandy versus $807 in Hanoi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $736 in Kandy versus $1,241 in Hanoi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $956 in Kandy versus $1,675 in Hanoi.

Living in Kandy costs roughly 36% less than in Hanoi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kandy 63% lower, Hanoi 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 LKR 904

$1.98 ₫51.4K

38.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.92 LKR 4,246

$21.36 ₫553.7K

-39.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.98 LKR 1,964

$4.44 ₫115.1K

34.68%

Cappuccino

$1.99 LKR 654

$1.86 ₫48.1K

6.99%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 LKR 167

$0.45 ₫11.7K

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 LKR 85.5

$0.28 ₫7,223

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 LKR 612

$1.18 ₫30.5K

57.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 937

$1.87 ₫48.6K

52.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 LKR 383

$1.53 ₫39.8K

-24.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 LKR 161

$0.95 ₫24.5K

-48.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 258

$0.81 ₫21.0K

-3.70%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 527

$1.43 ₫37.1K

11.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 LKR 1,721

$10.56 ₫273.6K

-50.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 LKR 1,412

$3.86 ₫100.0K

11.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 LKR 2,265

$9.86 ₫255.7K

-30.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 LKR 1,012

$3.10 ₫80.4K

-0.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 292

$1.07 ₫27.7K

-16.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 LKR 564

$1.32 ₫34.2K

30.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 LKR 418

$1.15 ₫29.7K

10.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LKR 326

$0.97 ₫25.2K

2.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 266

$1.12 ₫29.1K

-27.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 LKR 158

$0.56 ₫14.4K

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 147

$0.55 ₫14.1K

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.75 LKR 2,548

$1.37 ₫35.5K

465.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 LKR 3,788

$12.72 ₫329.6K

-9.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 654

$0.87 ₫22.6K

128.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 669

$1.68 ₫43.4K

21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 53.3

$0.39 ₫10.1K

-58.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.68 LKR 1,538

$9.12 ₫236.3K

-48.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 138

$0.74 ₫19.1K

-43.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.60 ₫15.6K

-36.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 LKR 156

$2.28 ₫59.2K

-79.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 LKR 368

$0.85 ₫21.9K

31.76%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$14.1K LKR 4.6M

$30.7K ₫796.8M

-53.97%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$37.5K LKR 12.3M

$30.8K ₫798.4M

21.85%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$55.1 LKR 18.1K

$83.6 ₫2.2M

-34.13%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.11 LKR 1,351

$4.91 ₫127.3K

-16.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.67 LKR 4,164

$8.87 ₫230.0K

42.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.02 LKR 3,620

$25.39 ₫658.2K

-56.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.68 LKR 2,193

$9.19 ₫238.1K

-27.31%

Cinema Ticket

$2.89 LKR 950

$4.18 ₫108.3K

-30.86%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$21.41 LKR 7,036

$773 ₫20.0M

-97.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$305 LKR 100.3K

$27.4K ₫709.0M

-98.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.30 LKR 6,671

$49.37 ₫1.3M

-58.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.30 LKR 3,386

$26.52 ₫687.4K

-61.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 LKR 22.6K

$83.9 ₫2.2M

-18.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.80 LKR 8,805

$84.9 ₫2.2M

-68.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 LKR 57.0K

$420 ₫10.9M

-58.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 LKR 38.1K

$290 ₫7.5M

-60.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 LKR 58.2K

$821 ₫21.3M

-78.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.0 LKR 31.9K

$537 ₫13.9M

-81.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$414 LKR 135.9K

$4,651 ₫120.6M

-91.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$406 LKR 133.5K

$2,749 ₫71.3M

-85.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 LKR 86.5K

$500 ₫13.0M

-47.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.45

42.01%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kandy: September 7, 2026

Last update for Hanoi: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $174 in Kandy and $420 in Hanoi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hanoi pays 90% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $13.00 in Kandy vs $21.00 in Hanoi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $194 per month, with Kandy cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kandy vs Hanoi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy and Hanoi differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($516 vs $807 including rent). Kandy is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 90% lower in Hanoi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $174 in Kandy versus $420 in Hanoi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 95% less than in Hanoi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $21.41 in Kandy versus $773 in Hanoi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kandy gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kandy and Hanoi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Hanoi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.